Her words hit me like a semi-truck. Presenting a highlight reel to people was exactly what I fucking did.

Growing up, there hadn’t been space for me to be anything except happy-go-lucky. I was already a huge disappointment to my dad without even trying, and I had to win my mom over somehow. And always being in a good mood seemed to please her.

I realized it felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest—like I could finally take a deep breath. Despite how desperate I’d been not to share anything with Frankie, her seeing beneath my front was the most relief I’d felt in a long time.

I finally turned, feeling brave enough to face her. To my absolute horror, she had a single tear rolling down her cheek. My gut reaction would typically be to back away from someone crying, but instead, without thinking, I reached out and brushed it away.

She shook her head. “Look at me, crying. If anything, I’m the pathetic one. This whole evening, I was trying to convince you that I’m not bad at everything. I lost my job—the only thing I was good at. Now I’m wandering through life, and I can’t catch my footing.”

“I don’t think you’re pathetic,” I whispered. How could she think that? She was intelligent and driven and interesting. “I’ve been trying to impress you since I met you,” I admitted.

I brushed away another tear from her cheek, this time letting my hand linger there.

“Opening up about your past isn’t a weakness. Feelings aren’t flaws,” she said slowly, as if scared I would bolt as soon as we got to the bottom and this gondola door swung open. “And you don’t have to tell me everything in one night, but I need you to know that I want to know more about you. And I’m never judging you, okay?”

I nodded.

“I need to hear you say it.”

“Okay,” I said, feeling like putty in her hands.

She took a shaky breath in and my eyes scanned her every feature. I was still a little anxious about what I’d shared tonight, but her words grounded me. This wasn’t the face of someone who was judging me. I had shared dark parts of myself. I had been vulnerable. And instead of cringing away, she had stepped up, wanting to see more.

“I like you,” I breathed, moving my hand to grip the back of her neck.

Frankie let out a small laugh. “Even after all that?”

“Especially after all that.” I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “Do you like me after all that?”

“Who said I liked you in the first place?” she asked, smiling.

That finally got a real smile to return to my face. “Shut up,” I said, lightly tugging her forward to cover her mouth with mine. I wasn’t sure if it was the emotional build up to it or what, but everything about the kiss was full of energy. My whole body felt like a live wire and each brush of her lips was causing a spark.